Four weeks are up, which means a third of our stay here at the Maisha Mazuri Children Centre is already over. It’s unbelievable how fast time flies. We are Antonia and Rebekka, and we have the honor of serving as volunteers here in Kenya from July to September. We are 19 and 20 years old and are fulfilling a long-held dream together with Hand in Hand für Kenia. After we both graduated from high school last year and wanted to get to know the world with all its ups and downs, we saw this project as the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Our adventure began on 07/02/24. What we’ve been able to experience over the past few weeks is hard to put into words. Right from the first day, we were welcomed with open arms and immediately felt like part of the MCC family.
Every day is different, allowing us to gather impressions and experiences in all areas of Kenyan life.
The children were especially happy when they received letters from their sponsors after our arrival. They read them either together or on their own. They were particularly impressed by the photos from Germany that were sometimes included.
We started our first big project series, “The Great Bake-Off.” We divided the children into three groups and got started with banana muffins. At first, it was difficult for us to get a feel for the amount of ingredients needed. After all, how often do you bake for over 50 people? So, the day before, we stood at the weekly market in Tala and bought 29 bananas to start with. When we added the first ingredients to the bowl with the mashed bananas and mixed it all by hand, the joy was great and fun was guaranteed.
The following weekend, it was the next group’s turn to show off their baking skills. This time, we ventured into chocolate cookies. To the sound of music and dancing, the dough was kneaded, rolled, and shaped into cookies. Because of our lively mood, some students from the secondary school joined us. The final result from this baking group was definitely something to be proud of as well.
The third and, for now, last baking group of our project series worked hard together to bake four marble cakes. Something new for the children was that the eggs for the batter had to be separated first. Then, we beat the egg whites until stiff. The consistency of the beaten egg whites caused wonder at first, which quickly turned into excitement. Our four cakes were then decorated with chocolate and sprinkles. The children were particularly thrilled about licking out the leftover chocolate.
Given the frequent lack of a Wi-Fi connection and the different age groups, the weekend movie night was a big challenge. To put an end to the age dilemma, we split the children into two groups. Now the younger ones watch in the library and the older ones in the dining hall. Of course, no movie night is complete without the snacks we made during “The Great Bake-Off.”
To make sure the creative arts weren’t neglected, we spent a Sunday afternoon making an MCC family caterpillar out of toilet paper rolls. Each child was able to leave their name on the caterpillar’s feet. The result is now admired every day in the dining room. A week later, we found our caterpillar a bit damaged on the floor because the double-sided tape didn’t hold as well as expected. So, we fixed it again and hope it lasts longer this time.
For a change from the daily ball sports at MCC, we organized a run to the primary school. Highly motivated, we started our six-kilometer run. We ran across meadows, over stones, through a river, and finally came back sweaty, happy, and exhausted.
On Friday, 07/19/24, we had the opportunity to visit Hells Gate National Park and Lake Naivasha on our day off, together with the secondary school’s geography class. We started early in the morning, but at that point, we didn’t know that this day would be unforgettable! We not only learned a lot about the landscape, animals, and plants, but also had a ton of fun. We even crossed paths with zebras, giraffes, monkeys, and hippos. On the way home, there was a huge traffic jam, which is why we didn’t get back for dinner as planned, but only the next morning.
In our first month at MCC, a few things have already changed. For instance, we replaced the old broken basketball net so people can shoot hoops again. Additionally, a third metal bench was placed at the edge of the soccer field. There was also a change in staff. There is a new matron! Her name is Miriam, she is 22 years old, and after she played soccer with the children on her very first day, everyone liked her immediately. With her help and Teacher Béatrice, the children study in the evening and practice reading in the library. Even when the power goes out again and we’re sitting in the dark, it doesn’t stop anyone from practicing diligently.
We are happy to share that the sunflower project by Maria (a former volunteer) is being busily continued. Emma not only harvested a large number of sunflower seeds but was also able to sow new flowers right away. We had the great honor of lending her a hand.
Everything is also running as usual on the shamba. Boniface is able to supply the kitchen with plenty of sinat, skumawiki, and even fresh fruit. Furthermore, he was happy to get a new water pipeline. Speaking of water: due to a pipe burst at the secondary school, we briefly had no water since the piping system is the same.
A special highlight for the children was the Skills Center graduation in Maala. Not only were dances and songs rehearsed, but poems were also written and then recited in front of parents, graduates, and numerous visitors. The day before, there was great disappointment because transport shortages made it impossible to take all the children. In cooperation with Joseph and Michael, we were able to organize an additional trip and thus solve the problem.
We are very grateful for these first unique four weeks and look forward to the coming two months!
Our phrase of the month: No Wi-Fi, no water, no power – NO PROBLEM! (Hakuna Matata)
Antonia and Rebekka